Life in the Uk Summary

Fundamental principles of British life: 1. democracy – 2. the rule of law – 3. individual liberty – 4. tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs 5. participation in community life UK – map is made of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Official name of the country is United Kingdom of Great Britain and Norther Ireland (GB refers to England, Scotland and Wales not Northern Ireland)  Channel Islands and Isle of man are close but are not part of GB – they have their own dependencies called Crown dependencies  St Helena and Falkland Islands are linked but are not part of GB  The UK is governed by the parliament sitting in Westminster Early Britain – Bronze age → Iron age →  Britain was still connected to continent 10 000 years ago. First farmers came 6000 years ago in UK.  Stonehenge stands in English county of Wiltshire. Skara Brae on Orkney off the north coast of Scotland  Iron age – a very impressive hill fort can still be seen in Maiden Castle , in the English county of Dorset . They made the first coins to be minted in Britain inscribed with the names of iron age kings  The Romans – in AD 43 they occupied most of Britain without Scotland.They remained for 400 years and left at 410 AD. One of tribe leaders who fought against Romans was Boudicca, the queen of the Iceni in what is now eastern England. (there is still a statue of her on Westminster Bridge in London near the house of parliament  Romans built a wall to stay away from the Picts (scottish tribes) . Parts of Handrian`s wall including the forts of Housesteads and Vindolanda, can still be seen  Anglo-saxons (mainly occupied England) – their kingdom was established around 600 AD . The burial place of one of the kings was at Sutton Hoo in modern Suffolk  Missionaries from Ireland spread the religion in the north. The most famous of these were St. Patrick, who become the patron saint of Ireland and St Columba, who founded a monastery on the island Iona off the coast of Scotland  St Augustine led missionaries from Rome, who spread Christianiy in the south. He became the first Archbishop of Canterbury  Vikings – many of the viking invaders stayed in Britain – especially in area known as Danelaw ( Grimsby and Scunthorpe, come from viking language). They were coming from Norway and Denmark, first visited Britain in AD 789 . They began to settle in the east of England and Scotland, but were defeated by King Alfred the Great. In the north, Viking attacks encouraged the people to unite under one king, Kennetch MacAlpin. The term Scotland began to be used to describe the country.  Norman conquest (the last successful foreign invasion – William (Duke on Normandy – northern France) defeated Harold the saxon king in 1066 at the battle of Hastings.... William the conqueror became the king of England --- the battle is remembered with an embroidery known ass the Bayeux Tapestry  Domesday Book – a list of all cities and people living in them , what land the owned and what animals Middle ages – time of constant war  in 1284 kind Edward I of England introduced the Statute if Rhuddlan, which annexed Wales to Crown of England . (castles – Conwy and Caernarvon)  in 1314 the Scottish, led by Robert the Bruce, defeated the english at the Battle of Bannockburn  English war with France known as the “hundred years war” (although it lasted 116 years). One of the most famous battles was the battle of Agincourt in 1415, where King Henry V fought The Black death – known as plague – in 1348, it killed 1/3 of the population in England, Scotland and Wales. In Ireland it killed many in the Pale ( English-controlled areas)  in 1215 King John introduced Magna Carta (meaning great charter). It established the idea that even the king was subject to law.  Feudalism – the king gave land to his lords in return for help in war. Landowners had to send certain numbers of men to serve in the army. In the north of Scotland and Ireland, land was owned by members of the “clans”  Two separate houses were established in the parliament. The nobility, great landowners and bishops sat in the House of Lords. Knights, who were usually smaller landowners, and wealthy people from towns and cities were elected to sit in the House of Commons.  Similar parliament developed in Scotland – it had 3 houses called Estates: the lords, the commons and the clergy  In England, Norman French (spoken by the king and his court) and Anglo-saxon (spoken by the peasants) merged into one English language. English had become the preferred language of the royal court and Parliament by 1400.  Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a series of poems called The Canterbury Tales about people going on a pilgrimage. It was one of the first books to be printed by William Caxton. The first person in England to print books using a printing press  John Barbour was a Scottish poet who wrote The Bruce about the Battle of Bannockburn The Wars of the Roses  in 1455 , a civil war begun to decide who should be king of England. It was fought between the supporters of two families: the house of Lancaster and the House of York. The war is called like that because the symbol of Lancaster was a red rose and the symbol of York was a white rose. The war ended with the battle of Bosworth field in 1485. Henry Tudor won the battle and proclaimed himself the King Henry 7 . The symbol was a white rose inside red as a sign that he united the family. The Tudors and Stuarts a) religious conflicts – the son of Henry 7 …. Henry 8 was famous for braking from church of Rome and marrying six times  to divorce his first wife , Henry needed the approval of the Pope. When the Pope refused Henry established the Church of

England. In this new Church, the kind , not the pope would have the power to appoint bishops and order how people should th worship.Because of that protestants formed their own churches around 16 century in scotland as well.  During the reign of Henry 8 , Wales became formally united with England by the Act for the Government of Wales The Six Wives of Henry 8  Catherine of Aragon – she was a spanish princess. They had a number of children but only one survived Mary,he decided to divorce her in order to get a son to be his heir.  Anne Boleyn – she was english – they had one daughter Elizabeth. Anne was unpopular in the country and was accused of taking lovers. She was executed at the tower of London.  Jane Seymor – she gave him the son he wanted, Edward, but she died shortly after the birth.  Anne Cleves – german princess. He married her for political reasons but divorced her soon after  Catherine Howard - she was a cousin of Anne Boleyn. She was also accused of taking lovers and executed.  Catherine Parr – she was a widow who married Henry late in his life  The son of Henry 8 , Edward 6 , who was strongly Protestant. During his reign, the Book of Common prayer was written to be used in the Church of England . He died at the age of 15 and his half-sister Mary became queen after her father`s death just being one week old. She was a devout Catholic and persecuted protestants (therefore known as Bloody Mary). She also died after a short reign  Queen Elizabeth 1 was a protestant and she managed to keep the balance between Catholicism and the more extreme Protestants  The queen of Scotland Mary Stuart (known as Mary Queen of Scots) was a catholic. She gave the throne to her protestant son , James 6 of Scotland. She was a cousin of Elizabeth I but was kept in prison and executed later for a plot to take over her.  The Elizabethian period in England was a time of growing partriotism: a feeling of pride in being English. During her time English settlers first began to colonise the eastern cost of America. She became one of the most popular monarchs in English history, particularly after 1588, when the English defeated the Spanish Armada, which had been sent to restore Catholicism.  The period is famous because of William Shakespeare – famous plays include “ A midsummer Night`s Dream” , “ Hamlet” , “ Macbet” and “Romeo and Juliet”  After she died 1603 her heir was her cousing James 6 of Scotland. He became King James 1 of England , Wales and Ireland but Scotland remained separate.  One achievement of King James` reign was a new translation of the bible into english. The translation is known as the King James Version or the “Authorised verison”  Henry 8 took the title King of Ireland. English laws were introduced and local leaders were expected to follow the instructions of the Lord Lieutenants in Dublin.  James I and his son Charles I were less skilled politically. Both believed in the “Divine right of King” - the idea that the king was directly appointed by God to rule.  Charles 1 wanted to worship the church of England to include more ceremony and introduced a revised Prayer Book. He tried to impose this Prayer book on the Presbyterian Church in Scotland and this led to seriouts unrest. The parliament didn`t give him money to fight back against the scots.  Civil war began between the king and parliament in 1642. The country split into those who supported the king (Cavaliers) and those who supported the Parliament (roundheads) Oliver Cromwell and the English republic  The king`s army was defeated at the battles of Marston Moor and Naseby. By 1646, it was clear that the parliament had won the war. Charles was held prisoner by the parliament army and later executed.  England declared itself a republic , called the Commonwealth. It no longer had a monarch. The army was in charge and one general Oliver Cromwell, was sent to ireland where the revolt was still going on. He was successful in establishing the authority of the english parliament but did this with such a violence that even today Cromwell remains a controversial figure in Ireland.  The son of Chales 1 , Charles 2 led an army from scotland but it was defeated by Cromwell in the battle of Dunbar and Worcester. Parliament now controlled Scotland as well as England and Wales.  Cromwell was given the title of Lord Protector and ruled until his death in 1658. His son Richard was not able to keep the control that his father had established. The Restoration  in 1660 Charles 2 was invited to come back and was crowned the king of england, wales , scotland and ireland.  Habeas corpus act became act in 1679 – from latin – you must present the person in court. The act guaranteed that no one could be held prisoner unlawfully. Every prison has a right to a court hearing  Royal society was forned to promote “natural knowledge” ( oldest surviving scientific society in the world) . Early members were Sir Edmund Halley, who successfully predicted the return of the comet Halley`s comet and Sir Isaac Newton.  Isaac Newton most famous work was Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica ( Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosopy, which showed how gravity applied to the whole universe. He also discovered that white light is made up of the colours of the rainbow.  Charles 2 didn`t have children so his brother James became James 2 in england , wales and james 7 in scotland. He favoured Roman Catholics and allowed them to be army officers  James` elder dauther Mary was married to her cousin William of Orange , the protestant ruler of Netherlands. He invaded England in 1688 and proclaimed himself the king because James left without fight to France. He became William 3 of England, Wales and Ireland, and William 2 in Scotland.This process was known as the “Glorious Revolution” because there was no fighting and guaranteed the power of Parliament.  James secret supporters in Scotland were known as Jacobites. All Scottish clans had to accept William as king and take the oath.

When The MacDonalds of Glencoe were late taking the oath, they were all killed Global power  Constitutional monarchy – the bill of rights (1689) confirmed the rights of Parliament and the limits of the king`s power. The declaration of rights confirmed that the king would no longer be able to raise taxes or administer justice without agreement from Parliament  A new parliament had to be elected at least every 3 years (later this became 7 and now it is 5 years)  There were two main groups in Parliament, known as the Whigs and the Tories ( the modern conservative party)  Constitutional monarchy – the monarch remained very important but was no longer able to insist on particular policies or actions if Parliament did not agree. Women did not have the right to vote at all. Some constituencies were controlled by a single wealthy family. These were called “pocket boroughs”. Other constituencies had hardly any voters and were called “rotten boroughs”  Many refugees came from france known as Huguenots . They were Protestants and had been prosecuted for their religion  The Act of Union – known as the Treaty of Union in Scotland (agreed in 1707) creating the Kingdom of Great Britain. This was done to ensure there would be continuity when Queen Anne died, as she had no direct heirs. Although Scotland was no longer an independent country, it kept its own legal and education systems and the Presbyterian Church.  Parliament chose George 1 , a German, to be king in 1714 (from hanover). He did not speak good english and needed to rely on his ministers. The most important minister became the prime minister . The first Prime minister was Sir Robert Wallpole (1721-1742)  In 1745 there was an attempt to put a Stuart king on the throne in place of George 1`s son, George 2. Charles Edward Stuart was defeated by George 2`s army at the battle of Culloden in 1746 and escaped back to Europe.  The clans lost a lot of their power after the Culloden. Chieftains became landlords if they had the favour of the English king, and clansmen became tenants who had to pay for the land they used. A process began which became known as the “ Highland Clearances”  From 1695, newspapers were allowed to operate without a government licence. Increasing numbers of newspapers began to be published. It was the beginning of a free press.  Robert Burns “known as the Bard” was a Scottish poet – his most famous work is the song Auld Land Syne , whish is sang by Uk people on New years eve or hogmanay as it is known in Scotland 18th century known as Englightenment – brought new ideas in politics, philosophy and science.  One of the most important principles of the Enlightenment was that everyone should have the right to their own political and religious beliefs and that the state should not try to dictate to them.  Britain was the first country to indusrialize to a large scale. It happened because of the development of macinery and the use of steam power (James Watt work on the steam engine .) Manufacturing jobs became the main source of employment in Britain  Richard Arkwright improved the original carding machine. Carding is the process of preparing fibres for spinning into yarn and fabric. He also developed horse-driven mills that used only one machine  Captain James Cook mapped the coast of Australia and a few colonies were established there. Britain gained control over Canada and the East india company, originally set up to trade, gained control of large parts of India  Sake Dean Mahomet opened the Hindoostane Coffee house in George street, London. It was the first curry house to open in Britain. They also introduced shampooing The slave trade – there were groups in britain who opposed the slave trade. The first formal anti-slavery groups were set by the Quakers in late 1700s, and they petitioned Parliament to ban the practice. William Wilberforce succeeded in turning public opinion against the slave trade. In 1807 it became illegal to trade slaves in British ships or British ports, and in 1833 the Emancipation act abolished slavery throughtout the British Empire. The American war of Indepence – by the 1760s there were substantial british colonies in North America . In 1776, 13 American colonies declared their independence stating that people had the right to establish their own government. The colonists defeated the British army and Britain recognised the colonies independence in 1783. War with France –  in 1789 there was a revolution in France and the new French government soon declared war of Britain. Napoleon, who became Emperor of France, continued the war. Britain won against French and Spanish fleets, winning the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Admiral Nelson was in charge and was later killed. His ship, HMS Victory, can be visited in Porthsmouth.  In 1815, the French wars ended with the defeat of the Emperor Napoleon by the Duke of Wellington at the battle of Waterloo. Welington was known as the Iron Duke and later became Prime Minister

The Union Flag (known as the Union Jack)  In 1801, Ireland became unified with england, scotland and wales after the Act of Union of 1800. This created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The flag combined crosses associated with England , Scotland and Ireland  The cross of St. George, patron saint of England, is a red cross on a white ground  The cross of St Andrew, patron saint of Scotland, is a diagonal cross on a blue ground  The cross of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, is a diagonal red cross on a white ground  There is also official Welsh flag, which shows a Welsh dragon. The Welsh dragon does not apper on the Union Flag because, when the first Union Flag was created in 1606 from the flags of Scotland and England, the Principality of Wales was already united with England Victorian age – in 1837, Queen Victoria became queen of the Uk at the age of 18. She reigned 1901, almost 64 ages ( the longest reign

of any british monarch). It was a time when britain increased in power and influence abroad.  Britain grew to cover all of India, Australia, and large parts of Africa.  Corn Laws in 1846 (these had prevented the import of cheap grain). The reforms helped the development of British industry, because raw materials could now be imported more cheaply.  In 1847 the number of hours that women and children could work was limited to 10 hours per day. th  In the 19 century the UK produced more than half of the world`s iron, coal and cotton cloth.  Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-59) – he was an engineer who built tunnels. He is responsible for constructing the Great Western Railway which was the first major railway built in Britain. It runs from Paddington station in London to the south west of England, The midlands and Wales.  In 1851, Great exhibition opened in Hyde park in the Crystal Palace a huge building made of iron and glass. The Crimean War – from 1853-56 Britain fouhgt with Turkey and France against Russia in the Crimean war. Queen Victoria introduced the Victoria Cross medal during this war  Florence Nightingale was born in Italy to English parents, she was trained as a nurse in Germany. In 1854, she went to Turkey and worked in military hospitals, treating soldiers who were fighting in the crimean war.  In 1860 she established the Nightingale Training school for nurses at St Thomas` Hospital in London. th Ireland in the 19 century – a million people died from starvation and diseases because the potato crop failed and Ireland suffered a famine. Another million and a half left Ireland  Charles Stuart Parnell, advocated “Home Rule” , in which Ireland would remain in the Uk but have its own parliament. The right to vote  The Reform Act of 1832 had greatly increased the number of people with the right to vote. Members of the working class were still unable to vote.  In 1867 there was another Reform Act – this created many urban seats in Parliament and reduced the amount of property needed to have before they could vote. (no women could vote)  Universal suffrage (the right of every adult male or female to vote) followed in the next century. Act of Parliament in 1870 and 1882 gave wives the right to keep their own earnings and property.  An increasing number of women campaigned and demonstrated for greater rights and in particular the right to vote – they were known as “suffragettes”  Emmeline Pankhurst was born in manchester , she set up the Women`s Franchise League in 1889, which fought to get the vote in local elections for married women. In 1903 she helped found the Women`s Social and Political Union (WSPU). In 1918 women over the age of 30 were given voting rights and right to stand for Parliament  In 1928 , women were given the right to vote at the age of 21, the same as men. The future of the empire –  Boer War of 1899 to 1902 made the discussions about the future of the Empire more urgent. The British went to war in South Africa with settlers from the Netherlands called the Boers. th  By the second half of 20 century , there was for the most part , an orderly transition from Empire to Commonwealth, with countries being granted their independence.  Rudyard Kipling – he wrote books and poems set in both India and Uk. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature 1907. His books include So Stories and The Jungle book th

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20 Century - 1 world war st  On 28 June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated. This set off a chain of events leading to the 1 World War (1914-18). Britain was part of the Allied Powers ( including France, Russia, Japan, Belgium, Serbia, and later Greece, Italy and the USA)  The Allies fought against the Central Powers – mainly Germany, the Austro-hungarian empire, the ottoman empire and Bulgaria  One battle, the British attack on the Somme (France) in July 1916, resulted in about 60 000 casulties on the first day alone. The th war finished at 11 am on 11 November 1918 with victory for britain and its allies. The partition of Ireland – in 1913 the British government promised Home Rule for Ireland. The proposal was to have a self-governing Ireland with its own parliament but still part of the UK. A Home Rule Bill was introduced in Parliament  Irish nationalists were not willing to wait and in 1916 there was an uprising (the Easter Rising) against the English in Dublin.  A guerrila war against the British army and the police in Ireland followed. In 1921 a peace treaty was signed and in 1922 Ireland became two countries. The six counties in the north were mainly protestant remained part of the UK under the name Northern Ireland. The rest of Ireland became Irish Free State. It had its own government and became a republic in 1949.  The conflict between those wishing for full Irish independence and those wishing to remain loyal to the British government is often referred to as “the Troubles” Inter- war period  in 1929 the world entered the “Great depression” and some parts of the UK suffered massive unemployment  The BBC started radio broadcasts in 1922 and began the world`s first regular television service in 1936. nd

The 2 world war  Adolf Hitler invaded Poland in 1939, Britaiin and France declared war in order to stop his aggression  The war was initiall fought between the Axis powers (fascist Germany and Italy and the Empire of Japan) and the Allies. The

main countries on the allied side were the UK, France, Poland, Canada, Union of South Africa, New Zealand  At this time of national crisis, Winston Churchill became Prime minister in may 1940 and Britain`s war leader. He was an MP until he stood down at the 1964 General Election. Following his death in 1965, he was given a state funeral.  Famous quotes of his “ I have nothing to offer but blood , toil , tears and sweat” “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few”  Evacuation at Dunkirk (France) rescued 300 000 men and led to the phrase “Dunkirk spirit”  England won the aerial battle against germans known as the “the Battle of the Britain” in the summer of 1940. The most importaant planes used by the Royal Air Force in the battle of britain were the Spitfire and Hurricane  Despite of the fact germans kept on bombarding London and other cities during night time. (known as Blitz)  USA entered the war when the Japanese bombed its naval base at Pearl Harbour in December 1941. th  On 6 June 1944, allied forces landed in Normandy ( this event is often referred to as D-Day). The allies defeated germany in May 1945  The war against Japan ended in August 1945 when USA dropped its newly developed atom bombs on the japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  Rutherford , working at manchester and then Cambridge Uni, were the first to “split the atom” and took part in the Manhattan project in the USA  Alexander Fleming was researching flu in 1928 he discovered penicillin. This was then futher developed into a usable drug bythe scientists Howard Florey and Ernst Chain. By 1940 it was in mass production. Fleming won the Noble Prize in Medicine in 1945. Britain since 1945 a) the welfare state – in 1945 british people elected a labour government. The new Prime minister was Clement Attlee (he was Winston Churchill`s Deputy Prime minister in the wartime) , who promised to introduce the welfare state outlined in the Beveridge report  in 1948 , Aneurin (Nye) Bevan, the minister of Health, led the establishment of NHS , which guaranteed a minimum standard of health care for all, free at the point of use.  In 1947, independence was granted to nine countries, including India, Pakistan and Ceylon (Sri lanka)  The Uk developed its own atomic bomb and joined the new North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), an alliance of nations set up to resist the perceived threat of invasion by the Soveit Union  The prime minister of the day, Harold Macmillan, was famous for his “wind of change” speech about decolonisation and independence for the countries of the Empire.  William Beveridge (later lord Beveridge) he is best known for being leader of Libertas in the house of Lords and for his 1942 report Social Insurance and Allied Services (known as the Beveridge report). It recommended that the government should find ways of fighting the five “Giant evils” of Want, Disease, Ignorance , Squalor and Idleness  Richard Austen Butler (lord Butler) – he oversaw the introduction of the Education Act 1944 ( called the Butler Act) which introduced free secondary education in England and Wales  Dylan Thomas – a welsh poet from Swansey – his most well-known works include the radio play Under Milk Wood b) social change in the 1960s – also known as the “swinging sixties”  there was a growth in british fashion, cinema and popular music. Two well known pop music groups at the time were The Beatles and The rolling stones  the position of the women in workplace improved, the Parliament passed new laws giving women the right to equal pay and made it illegal for employers to discriminate against women because of their gender.  Britain and France developed the only supersonic commercial airliner , Concorde th

Some great British inventions of the 20 century  the TV was developed by Scotsman John Logie Baird in 1920. In 1932 he made the first television broadcast between London and Glasgow  Radar was developed by Scotsman Sir Robert Watson-Watt who proposed that enemy aircraft could be detected by radio waves. The first successful radar test took place in 1935  working with radar led Sir Bernard Lovell to make new discoveries in astronomy. The radio telescope he built at Jodrell Bank in Cheshire was for many years the biggest in the world  A turing machine is a theoretical mathematical device invented by Alan Turing, used for development of computer science  the Scottish physician and researcher John Macleod was the co-discoverer of insulin  The structure of DNA molecule was discovered in 1953 through work at British universities in London and Cambridge. Francis Crick was awarded noble prize for this discovery.  Jet engine was developed in Britain in 30s by Sir Frank Whittle, a british royal air force engineer  Hovercraft was invented in the 50s by Sir Christopher Cockerell  Harrier jump jet, an aircraft capable of taking off vertically  In the 60s James Goodfellow – invented the cash-dispensing ATM – the first of these was put into use by Barclays bank in Enfield , north London in 1967  IVF ( in-vitro fertilisation) therapy for the treatment of infertility was pioneered in Britain by Sir Robert Edwards and gynaecologist Patrick Steptoe. The first test – tube baby was born in Oldham, Lancashire in 1978  In 1996 Sir Ian Wilmot and Keith Campbell , led a team which was the first to succeed in cloning a mammal, Dolly the sheep.  Sir Peter Mansfield , is the co-inventor of the MRI ( magnetic resonance imaging) scanner  The inventor of the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners – Lee is British. Information was successfully transferred via the web for

the first time on 25 december 1990. Problems in the economy in the 1970s – times of serious unrest in Northern Ireland. In 1972, the northern Ireland Parliament was suspended and the country was direcly ruled by the Uk government  Mary Peters – she was a talented athlete who won the Olympic gold medal in the pentathlon in 1972 – she promotes the sport and tourism in Northern Ireland and was made a Dame of the British empire in 2000 in recognition of her work  West Germany , France, Belgium, Italy , Luxemburg and the Netherlands formed the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1957. UK joined the EEC in 1973.  Margareth Thatcher , Britain`s first woman Prime minister led the conservative government from 1979 – 1990  In 1982 , Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic, A naval taskforce was sent from the Uk and military action led to the recovery of the islands  Roald Dahl – he served in the royal air force during the WW2 – his best known works include Charlie and the Chocolate factory and George`s Marvellous Medicine.  In 1997 the Labour party led by Tony Blair was elected – he introduced Scottish parliament and Welsh Assembly  In Northern Ireland, the Blair government was able to build on the peace process, resulting in the Good Friday Agreement signed in 1998.  Gordon Brown took over as a prime minister in 2007 . In May 2010, and for first time in UK since February 1974 no political party won an overall majority in the General Electon. The conservative and Liberal democrat parties formed a coalition and the leader of the conservative Party, David Cameron , became Prime minister CHAPTER 2 – MODERN THRIVING SOCIETY  the longest distance on the mainland is from John O`Groats on the north coast of Scotland to Land`s End in the south-west corner of England. It is about 870 miles (1440 km)  Capital cities – Scotland (Edinburgh) , England (London) , Wales (Cardiff) , Northern Ireland (Belfast)  Northern Ireland and Scotland have their own banknotes , which are valid everywhere in the UK. Shops and businesses do not have to accept them  In Wales they speak Welsh , in Scotland Gaelic and Norther Ireland – speak Irish Gaelic . Population in 2010 – 62 millions  England makes up 84 % of the total population, Wales 5% , Scotland 8 and Northern Ireland 3%.  70% of people are Christians , Muslim 4% , Hindu 2% , Sikh (1%), buddist or Jewish both less than 0.5 % . In a survey 21% people said that they had no religion  The official Church of the state is the Church of England (called Anglican Church and Episcopal Church in Scotland and USA). It is a Protestant Church and has existed since the Reformation in 1530s. The monarch is the head of the church of England. The spiritual leader of the church of England is the Archbishop of Canterbury. The monarch has the right to select the Archbishop and other senior church officials, but usually the choice is made by the prime minister and a committee appointed by the Church.  In Scotland, the national Church is the Church of Scotland, which is a Presbyterian Church. It is governed by ministers and elders. The chairperson of the general assembly of the church is the Moderator, who is appointed for 1 year.  There is no established church in Wales and Northern Ireland  Patron saints` days – each country have a national saint , called a patron saint st th rd th  1 March: St Davids`s day (Wales) ; 17 March: St Patrick`s Day (Northern Ireland) ; 23 April: St George`s day (England) ; 30 November : St Andrew`s Day (Scotland) ---- the patrons in England and Wales are no longer public holidays  The main Christian festivals – Christmas day (25 December) celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. People usually spend the day at home and eat a special meal, which often includes roast turkey, Christmas pudding and mince pies. They give gifts, send cards and decorate the houses  Boxing day -the day after Christmas day and is a public holiday  Easter – takes place in March or April – it marks the death of Jesus Christ on Good Friday and his rising from the dead of Easter Sunday. Both good Friday and the following Monday , called Easter Monday are public holidays. The 40 days before Easter are known as Lent. It is time when Christians take time to reflect and prepare for Easter. The day before Lent starts is called Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Dat. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. There are church services where Christians are marked with an ash cross on their forehead as a symbol of death and sorrow for sin. Easter eggs are chocolate eggs often given as presents at Easter as a symbol of new life.  Diwali – normally falls in October or November and lasts for 5 days. It is often called the Festival of Lights. It is celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs  Hannukah – is in November or December and is celebrated for 8 days. It is to remember the Jews` struggle for religious freedom  Eid al-Fitr – celebrates the end of Ramadan , when muslims have fasted for a month  Eid ul Adha – remembers that the prophet Ibrahim was willing to sacrifice his son when God ordered him to. It reminds muslims of their own commitment to God. th  Vaisakhi – is a Sikh festival which celebrates the founding of the Sikh community known as Khalsa (celebrated on 14 April) Other festivals and traditions st  New year - 1 January public holiday . People usually celebrate on the night of 31 December (called New Year`s Eve). In nd Scotland it is called Hogmanay and 2 January is also a public holiday th  Valentine`s Day (14 February) – when lovers exchange cards and gifts

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April Fool`s Day (1 April) – is a day when people play jokes on each other until midday. Mothering Sunday ( or Mother`s Day) – is the Sunday 3 weeks before Easter Father`s Day – third Sunday in June th Hallowen (31 October) – is an ancient festival and has roots in the pagan festival to mark the beginning of winter th Bonfire Night (5 November) – is an occasion when people in Great Britain set off fireworks at home or in special displays. The origin of this celebration was an event in 1605, when a group of catholics led by Guy Fawkes failed in their plan to kill the Protestant king with a bomb in the Houses of Parliament th  Remembrance day - (11 November) – commemorates those who died fighting for Uk and its allies. People wear poppies ( the red flower found on the battlefields of the WW1)  Bank holiday – public holidays each year, when banks and many other businesses are closed for the day. These are of no religious significance. They are at the beginning of May, in late May or early Junem and in August. Sport 

famous place are the Wembley Stadium in London and the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff  The Uk has hosted the Olympic Games on 3 occasions: 1908, 1948 and 2012. The main Olypic site for the 2012 Games was in rd Stratford, East London. UK finished 3 in the metal table. Paralympics have their origin in the work of Dr Sir Ludwig Guttman, a german refugee, at the Stoke Mandeville hospital in Buckingamshire. Notable British sportsmen and women  Sir Roger Bannister – first man to run a mile in under 4 minutes 1954  Sir Jackie Stewart – a scottish former racing driver who won the Formula 1 (3 times)  Bobby Moore – captained the english football team that won the World Cup in 1966  Sir Ian Botham – captained the English cricket team and holds a number of English test cricket records, both for batting and for bowling  Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean – won gold medals for ice dancing at the olympic games in 1984 and 4 consecutive world championships  Sir Steve Redgrave – won gold medals in rowing in 5 consecutive olympic games  Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson – an athlete who uses a wheelchair and won 16 Paralympic medels  Dame Kelly Holmes – won 2 gold medals for running in the 2004 olympic  Dame Ellen MacArthur – is a yachtswoman and in 2004 became the fastest person to sail around the world singlehanded  Sir Chris Hoy – a Scottish cyclist who has won 6 gold and 1 silver olympic medals  David Weir – a paralympian who uses a wheelchair and has won six gold medals over two Paralympic games  Sir Bradley Wiggins – a cyclist – in 2012 he became the first Briton to win the Tour de Franec  Mo Farah – a british distance runner, born in Somalia. He won gold medals in 2012 for 5 km and 10 km  Jessica Ennis – won gold in 2012 in the heptathlon, which includes 7 different track and field events  Andy Murray – a scottish tennis player who in 2012 won US open. Won olympic gold  Ellie Simmonds – paralympian who won gold medals for swimming at 2008 and 2012

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Cricket – the most famous competition is the Ashes, which is a series of test matches played between England and Australia th Football – the most popuar sport … teams formed around the end of 19 century (won 1966) Rugby – there are two different types of rugby: union and league. Both have separate leagues and national teams . The most famous rugby union is the Six Nations Championship between England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy  Horse racing – famous events : Royal Ascot , a five-day race meeting in Berkshire attended by members of Royal Family; the Grand National at Aintee near Liverpool and the scottish Grand National at Ayr  Golf – St Andrews in Scotland is known as the home of golf. The Open Championship is the only Major outside USA  Tennis – the first tennis club was founded in Leamington Spa in 1872. Most famous is Wimbledon championship , which takes place at the All England Lawn tennis and Croquet club  Water sports – most famous even is at Cowes on the Isles of Wight  Skiing – there are 5 ski centres in Scotland, as well as Europe`s longest dry ski slope near Edinburgh Arts and Culture  the Proms is an eight-week summer season of orchestral classical music that takes place in various venues, including Royal Albert Hall in London. It has been organised by the BBC since 1927  Henry Purcell was the organist at Westminster Abbey  The german-born composer George Frederick Handel – he wrote “Water Music” for king George 1 and Music for the Royal fireworks for his son, George 2. He also wrote “Messiah” , which is sung on Easter.  Sir Edward Elgar – his best known work is”Pomp and Circumstances Marches” March N1 is played at the last night of the prom  Sir William Walton – he wrote marches for the coronations of King George 6 and Queen Elizabeth 2, but he is best-known for “Facade”, which became a ballt and “Balthazar`s feast”  Benjamin Britten – he found the Aldeburgh festival in Suffolk  There are many large venues that host music events throughtout the year such as : Wembley stadium, The O2 in Greenwich. Famous festivals include Glastonbury, the Isle of Wight Festival and the V festival.

 The mercury music prize is awarded each September for the best album from the Uk and Ireland. The Brit Awards is an annual event that gives awards (best british group and solo artist) Theatres  London`s West End, also known as “Theatreland”, is particularly well known. “The mousetrap” , a murder mystery playedby Dame Agatha Christie, has been running since 1952 and has had the longest initial run of any show in history  Gilbert and Sullivan wrote comic operas “HMS Pinafore , The pirates of Penzance and The mikado”  One british tradition is the pantomime. Many theatres produce a pantomime at Christmas time. One of the traditional characters is the Dame, a woman played by a man. There is also a pantomime horse or cow played by two actors in the same costume  Edinburgh festival takes place every summer – it is a series of different arts and cultural festivals – with the biggest being the Edinburg Festival Fringe  The Laurence Olivier Awards take place annually at different venues in London. The awards are named after the British actor Sir Laurence Olivier, who is well known for his roles in various Shakespeare plays th

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Art – many of the painters working in Britain in 16 and 17 centuries were from abroad – Hans Holbein and Sir Anthony Van Dyck. Some of the most well-known galleries are the National Gallery, Tate Britain and Tate Modern in London  Thomas Gainsborouggh – was a portrait painter who often painted people in countryside or garden scenery  David Allan – was a scottish painter who was best known for painting portraits “The origin of Painting”  Joseph Turner – was an influential landscape painter in a modern style.  John Constable – was a landscape painter most famous for his work of Dedham Vale on the suffolk-essex border th  The Pre-raphaelites – were an important group of artists in the second half of 19 century. The group included Holman Hunt, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Sir John Millais  Sir John Lavery – a very successful Northern Ireland portrait painter.  Henry Moore – an english sculptor and artist. He is best known for his large bronze abstract sculptures  John Petts – a Welsh artist, best known for his engravings and stained glass  David Hockney – important contributor to the pop art movement of the 1960s  Turner prize was established in 1984 and celebrates contemporary art ( it is one of the most prestigious visua art awards in EU) Architecture  in middle ages, great cathedrals were built , examples are cathedrals in Durham, Lincoln, Canterbury and Salisbury  The White Tower in the tower of London is an example of a Norman castle th  In the 17 century Inigo Jones took inspiration from classical architecture to design the Queen`s House at Greenwhich and the Banqueting House in Whitehall in London  Sir Cristopher Wren helped develop a British version of the ornate styles popular in Europe in buildings such as the new St Paul`s Cathedral  Robert Adam influenced the design of houses such as Dumfries House in Scotland and the Royal Crescent in Bath th  In 19 century medieval gothic style became popular again. The Houses of Parliament and St Pancras Station were built th  In 20 century Sir Edwin Lutyens designed New Delhi to be the seat of the government in India. He was responsible for many memorials including the Cenopath in Whitehall. It is the place of the annual Remembrance Day service attended by the Queen th

Fashion and design – Thomas Chippendale (who designed furniture in the 18 century) to Clarice Cliff (who designed art deco ceramics) th to Sir Terence Conran (20 century interior designer) ---- fashion designers of recent years are Alexander McQueen , Vivienne Westwood Literature – people that have won the Nobel Prize in Literature – Sir William Golding, Seamus heaney and Harold Pinter. Agatha Cristie`s detective stories are read all over the world and Ian Fleming`s books introduced James Bond. In 2003 , “The lord of the rings” by JJR Tolkien was voted the country`s best-loved novel Notable authors and writters  Jane Austen – english novelist – her books include Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility  Charles Dickens – whire a number of very famous novels, including “Oliver Twist” and “Great Expectations”  Robert Louis Stevenson – his most famous books include “Treasure ireland, Kidnapped and “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”  Thomas Hardy – best known for “Far from the Madding Crowd” and “Jude the Obscure”  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – scottish doctor and writer , best known for his stories about “Sherlock Holmes”  Evelyn Waugh – satirical novels “Decline” and Fall and Scoop.  Sir Kingsley Amis – he wrote more that 20 novels. Most well-known is Lucky Jim  Graham Greene – novels based on religion – The Heart of the Matter, The Honorary Consul, Brighton Rock and Our man in Havana  J K Rowling – wrote the Harry Potter series for children`s books British poets – anglo-saxon poem “Beowulf” tells of its hero`s battles against monsters. Poems which survive from middle ages include Chaucer`s Canterbury Tales and a powem called Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, about one of the knights at the court of King Arthur  as well as plays, Shakespeare wrote many sonnets (poems which must be 14 lines long) and some longer poems  Lord Byron (she walks in beauty) poem

Leisure a) Gardeging – famous gardens to visit throughtout the UK, including Kew Gardens, Sissinghurst and Hidcote in England, Crahes Castle and Inveraray Castle in Scotland, Bodnant Garder in Wales and Mount Stewart in Northern Ireland  Enland – rose ; Scotland – the thistle , Wales – daffodil, Nothern Ireland – shamrock; Traditional foods  England – roast beef, which is served with potatoes, vegetables, Yorkshire puddings. Fish and chips are also popular  Wales – Welsh cakes – a traditional snack made from flour, dried fruits and spices , and served either hot or cold  Scotland – haggis – a sheep`s stomach stuffed with offal, suet , onions and oatmeal  Norther Ireland – Ulster fry – a fried meal with bacon, eggs, sausage, black pudding, white pudding, tomatoes, mushrooms, soda bread and potato bread Films – films were first shown publicly in the Uk in 1896 and film screenings become popular.  Sir Charles Chaplin became famous in silent movies for his tramp character and was one of many British actors to make a career in Hollywood  Eminent directors included Sir Alexander Korda and Sir Alfred Hitchcock, who later left for Hollywood. British directors including Sir David Lean and Ridley Scott found great success both in the Uk and internationally  The 50s and 60s were a high point for British comedies, including “Passport to Pimlico, The Ladykillers and Carry on.  Harry potter and James Bond have been produced in the UK.  Actors such as Sir Lawrence Olivier , David Niven , Sir Rex Harrison and Richard Burton starred in a wide variety of popular films  Recent actors winning an oscar include Colin Firth, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Dame Judi Dench, Kate Winslet and Tilda Swinton  The annual British Academy film Awards hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) are the british equivalent of the Oscars British comedy – in 1969, Monthy Python`s Flying Circus introduced a new type of progressive comedy. Stand-up comedy, where a solo comedian talks to a live audience Television and radio – regular soap operas such as “Coronation Street” and “Eastenders”. Everyone having a TV must have a television licence. You can receive a fine of up to 1000 pounds if you watch TV but do not have a tv licence. The money from TV licence is used to pay for the BBC Pubs and nightclubs – to buy alcohol in a pub or night club you must be 18 or over, but people under that age may be allowed in some pubs with an adult. When they are 16, people can drink wine or beer with a meal in a hotel or restaurant (including eating areas in pubs) as long as they are with someone over 18 Betting and gambling – people under 16 are not allowed to participate in the National Lottery Pets – all dogs in public places must wear a collar showing the name and address of the owner Places of interest  there are 15 national parks in England , Wales and Scotland. National Trust is a charity that work ot preserve important buildings, coastline and countryside in the Uk. It was founded in 1895 by three volunteers  Big Ben – nickname for the great bell of the clock at the Houses of Parliament. It is over 150 years old. The clock tower is named “Elizabeth tower”in honour of Queen Elizabeth II`s Diamond Jubilee in 2012  The Eden Project – it is located in Cornwall, south-west of England. Its biomes, which are like giant greenhouses, house plants from all over the world  Edinburgh Castle – it dates back to Middle ages  The giant`s causeway – located on the north-east cost of Northern Ireland, it is a land formation of columns made from volcanic lava. Formed about 50 million years ago  Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park – covers 720 sq miles in the west Scotland  London eye – situated on the southern bank of the River Thames and is a ferris wheel that is 135 m tall. Built for the new millennium  Snowdonia – national park in North Wales. Its most well-known landmark is Snowdon, which is the highest mountain in Wales.  The tower of london – built by William the Conqueror after he became king in 1066. Tours are given by the Yeoman Warders, also known as Beefeaters, who tell visitors about the building`s history  The lake District – England`s largest national park – it is very popular with climbers, walkers and sailors. The biggest stretch of water is Windermere CHAPTER 3 – THE UK GOVERNMENT , THE LAW AND YOUR ROLE The development of the British democracy  democracy is a system of government where the whole adult population gets a say. This might be by direct voting or by choosing representatives to make decisions on their behalf.  In 1830s and 1840s , a group called the Chartists campaigned for reform. They wanted six changes: 1. for every man to have the vote 2. Elections every year 3. For all regions to be equal in the electoral system 4. Secret ballots 5. For any man to be able to stand as an

MP 6. MP`s to be paid . The campaign was generally seen as a failure. However, by 1918 most of these reforms had been adopted  The voting franchise was also extended to women over 30, and then in 1928 to men and women over 21. In 1969, the voting age was reduced to 18 for men and women The british constitution – a set of principles by which a country is governed. It includes all of the institutions that are responsible for running the country and how their power is kept in check. British constitution is not written down in any single document, and therefore it is described as unwritten  Constitutional institutions – monarchy ; parliament ; prime minister ; the cabinet ; the judiciary (courts) ; the police ; the civil service ; local government  Monarchy – Queen Elizabeth 2 is the head of state of the UK. She is also the monarch or head of state for many countries in Commonwealth. Uk is a constitutional monarchy – it means that the king or queen does not rule the country but appoints the government, which the people have chosen in a democratic election. The monarch has regular meetings with the Prime Minister and can advise, warn and encourage, but the decisions on government policies are made by the Prime minister and the cabinet  The Queen has reigned since her father`s death in 1952 and in 2012 she celebrated her Diamond Jubilee. She is married to Prince Philip , the Duke of Edinburgh. Her eldest son, Prince Charles (the Prince of Wales) is the heir to her throne  National anthem - “god save the queen” Oath of allegiance – I (name) swear by Almighty God that on becoming a British citizen, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her Heirs and Successors, according to law. Affirmation of allegiance – I (name) do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that on becoming a British citizen, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 2 , her Heirs and Successors, according to law. System of Government – Voters in each costituency elect their member of Parliament (MP) and they form the House of Commons. The House of Commons – it is regarded as the more important of the two chambers, because its members are democratically elected. Each MP represents a parliamentary constituency, which is a small area of the country. MPs have a number of different responsibilities: represent everyone in their constituency – help to create new laws – scrutinise and comment on what the government is doing – debate important national issues The House of Lords (checks and amends legislation but has less power than the House of Commons) – in 1958 , all peers were – hereditary, which means inherited their title or senior judges or bishops of Church of England. Since 1958 , the Prime minister has had the power to nominate peers just for their own lifetime. These are called life peers. Since 1999, hereditary peers have lost the automatic right to attend the House of Lords. It is normally more independent of the government than the House of Commons.  The Speaker – debates in the House of Comons are chaired by the Speaker. This person is the chief officer of the House of Commons. The speaker is neutral and does not represent a political party , even if he is MP. He is chosen by other MPs in a secret ballot  Elections – MPs are elected at a General Election, which is led at least every five years. If an MP dies or resigns, there will be a fresh election, called by-election. MPs are elected through a system called “first past the post”. They can be contacted at House of Commons, Westminster, Londond  European parliamentary elections – also held every 5 years. Elected members are called members of the European Parliament (MEPs). Elections use a system of proportional representation The Government  Prime minister – official home is 10 downing street, in central London, near the house of parliament. The prime minister usually resignss if his or her party loses a General Election  Prime minister appoints about 20 senior MPs to become ministers in charge of departments. These include  Chancellor of the Exchequer – responsible for the economy (runs the Treasury)  Home secretary – responsible for crime, policing and immigration  Foreign secretary – responsible for managing relationships with foreign countries  other ministers (called “Secretaries of State) responsible for subjects such as education, health and defenec  Each department also has a number of other ministers, called Ministers of State and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State who take charge of particular area of the department`s work.  The second largest party in the House of Commons is called the opposition. The leader of the opposition leads his or her party in pointing out what they see as the government`s failures and weaknesses. They can do this once a week during Prime Minister`s Questions  Anyone aged 18 or over can stand for election as an MP but they are unlikely to win unless they have been nominated to represent one of the major political parties (Conservative party, Labour party or Liberal Democrats)  Civil servants support the government in developing and implementing its policies. Appointments to the civil service are not political ( they are politically neutral)  Local authorities appoint a mayor, who is the ceremonial leader of the council. The mayor is appointed by councillors or elected by a community. London, for example has an elected mayor. Councillors normally represent a political party. London has 33 local authorities, with the Greater London Authority and Mayor of London coordinating policies across the capital. The money to pay for local services comes from central government and local taxes.  There has been a Welsh Assembly and a Scottish Parliament since 1999. There is also a Northern Ireland Assembly, although this has been suspended on a few occasions  The Welsh government and National Assembly for Wales is based in Cardiff. It has 60 members and elections are held every 4 years using a form of proportional representation. The assembly has the power to make laws for Wales in 20 areas including : education

and training – health and social services – economic development – housing  The Scottish Parliament – formed in 1999 , it sits in Edinburgh , there are 129 members (MSPs) elected by a proportional representation. The matters on which Scottish parliament can legislate include: civil and criminal law – health – education – planning – additional tax-raisin powers  Northern Ireland Parliament – established in 1922, when ireland was divided , and it was abolished in 1972. The Northern Ireland Assembly was established soon after the Belfast Agreement in 1998. The assembly has 108 elected members known as MLA ( members of the legislative assembly)  Proceedings in Parliament are broadcasted on TV and available online in official reports called “Hansard”. The Uk has a free press – this means that what is written in newspapers is free from government control  UK has had a fully democratic votin system since 1928. The present voting age of 18 was set in 1989 and all UK-born and naturalised adult citizens have the right to vote. Adult citizens of the Uk, and citizens of the Commonwealth and the Irish Republic who are resident in the Uk , can vote in all public electons. Adult citizens of other EU states who are resident in the Uk can vote in all elections except General Elections  To be able to vote in a parliamentary , local or European election , you must have your name on the electoral register. An elecoral registration form is sent to every household and this has to be completed and returned with the names of everyone who is resident in the household and eligible to vote  In Northern Ireland a different system operates. This is called “individual registration” and all those entitled to vote must complete their own registration form.  People vote in elections at places called polling stations, or polling places in Scotland. Before the election you will be sent a poll card. On election day, the polling station or place will be open from 7.00 am until 10.00 pm . If it is difficult for you to get to a polling station, you can register for a postal ballot  Most citizens of the Uk, The irish republic or the Commonwealth aged 18 or over can stand for public office. There are some exceptions : – members of the armed forces – civil servants – people found guilty of certain criminal offences  The public can listen to debates in the Palace of Westminster from public galleries in both the House of Commons and House of Lords  In Northern Ireland members MLAs meet in the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont, in Belfast. There are two ways to arrange a visit to Stormont. You can either contact the Education service or contact an MLA  In Scotland the elected members, called MSPs, meet in the Scottish parliament building at Holyrood in Edinburgh. You can book tickets or arrage tours through visitor services  In Wales the members knows as Ams , meet in the Welsh Assembly in the Senedd in Cardiff Bay. The Senedd is an open building You can book guided tours or seats in the public galleries for the Welsh Assembly. The Uk and international institutions  The commonwealth – is an association of countries that support eac other and work together towards shared goals in democracy and development. The Queen is the ceremonial head of Commonwealth, which currently has 54 member states. The commonwealth has no power over its members, although it can suspend membership. It is based on the core values of democracy, good government and the rule of law.  The European Union (EU) – originally called the European Economic Community (EEC) was set up by six western European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands) who signed Treaty of Rome on 25 march 1957. The UK originally decided not to join this group but it became a member in 1973. There are now 27 member states. Croatia will also become a member state in 2013. European laws are called directives, regulations or framework decisions  The Council of Europe is separate from the EU. It has 47 member countries , including the UK, and is responsible for the protection and promotion of human rights in those countries. It has no power to make laws but draws up conventions and charters, the most well-known of which are the European Convention of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. This convention has been incorporated into the UK`s Human Rights Act  The United Nations (UN) – an international organisation with more than 190 countries as members. The UN was set up after the WW2 and aims to prevent war and promote international peace and security.There are 15 members on the UN Security Council . The UK is on of 5 permanent members of the Security Council.  The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) – the Uk is also a member of NATO. It has 28 members all have an equal say in decision-making. NATO is a group of European and North American countries that have agreed to help each other if they come under attack. Respecting the law - Laws can be divided into criminal law and civil law  Criminal law relates to crime ,which are usually investigated by the police or another authority such as a council, and which are punished by courts. Civil law is used to settle disputes between individuals or groups  Examples of criminal laws are: – carrying a weapon – drugs – racial crime – selling tabacco – smoking in public areas – buying alcohol for someone under 18 – drinking in public  Examples of civil law are:  Housing law: this includes disputes between landlords an tenants over issues such as repairs and eviction  Consumer rights: an example of this is a dispute about faulty goods or services  Employment law: these cases include disputes oer wages and cases of unfair dismissal or discrimination in the workplace  Debt : people might be taken to court if they owe money to someone The Police and their duties  the job of police in the uk is to – protect life and property – prevent disturbances – prevent and detect crime  The police are organised into a number of separate police forces headed by Chief Constables. In november 2012 the public

elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales  Complaints about police can be made to an independent body: the Independent Police complaints Commission in England and Wales, the police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland or the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland  Terrorist threats include the ones from Al Qa`ida and Northern Ireland related terrorism. It is important that all citizens feel safe. This includes feeling safe from all kinds of extremism, including religious extremism and far-right extremism The role of the courts a) the judiciary - all the judges are responsible for intepreting the law and ensuring that trials are conducted fairly.  Sometimes the actions of the government are claimed to be illegal. If the judges agree, then the government must either change it policies or ask Parliament to change the law. Judges also make decisions in disputes between members of the public or organisations b) criminal courts  Magistrates` and Justice of the Peace Courts – in england, wales and northern ireland, most minor criminal cases are dealth with a Magistrates` Court. In Scotland, minor criminal offences go to a Justice of the Peace Court . The people that work are unpaid and do not need legal qualifications. They receive training to do the job and are supported by a legal adviser. In northern Ireland cases are heard by a Distric Judge or Deputy District Judge, who is legally qualified and paid.  Crown courts and Sheriff Courts – in england, wales and Northern ireland, serious offences are tried in front of a judge and a jury in a Crown Court. In Scotland, serious cases are heard in a Sheriff Court with either a sheriff or a sheriff with a jury. The most serious cases in Scotland, such as murder , are heard at a High Court with a judge and a jury. In England, wales and Northern Ireland a jury has 12 members , and in Scotland a jury has 15 members. The jury has to listen to the evidence presented at the trial and then decide a verdictof “guilty” or “not guilty” in Scotland there is a third verdict of “not proven”.  Youth Courts – in england , wales and Northern Ireland, if an accused person is aged 10 to 17, the case is normally heard in a Youth court in front of up to 3 specially trained magistrates or a District Judge. The most serious cases will go to the Crown Court. The parents or carers of the young person are expected to attend the hearing. Members of the public are not allowed in Youth Courts, and the name or photos of the accused young person can`t be published in newspapers or used by the media  In Scotland a system called the Children`s Hearing System is used to deal with children and young people who have committed an offence c) civil courts  County courts – deal with a wide range of civil disputes – people trying to get back money that is owed to them , cases involving personal injury, family matters, breaches of contract, and divorce. In Scotland, most of these matters are dealth with in the Sheriff Court. More serious civil cases -for example when a large amount of compensation is being clamed – are dealth with in the High court in England, Wales and Nor IR. In Scotland, they are dealt with in the Court of Session in Edinburgh.  The small claims procedure – it is an informal way of helping people to settle minor disputes without spending a lot of time and money using a lawyer. This procedure is used for claims of less than 5000 pounds in England and Wales and 3000 pounds in Scotland and Norther Ireland. d) legal advice solicitors – trained lawyers who give advice on legal matters , take action for their clients and represent their clients in court Fundametal Principles - Britain has a long history of respecting an individual`s rights and ensuring essential freedoms. These rights have their roots in Magna Carta, the Habeas Corpus Act and the Bill of rights of 1689 and they have developed over a period of time.  Some of the principles included in the European Convention on Human Rights are: right to life – prohibition of torture – prohibition of slavery and forced labour – right to liberty and security – right to a fair trial – freedom of thought, conscience and religion – freedom of expression (speech). The Human Rights Act 1998 incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law. The UK was one of the first countries to sign the convention in 1950  Equal opportunities – UK laws ensure that people are not treated unfairly in any area of life or work because of their age, disability, sex, pregnancy. You can get more information from the Citizens Advice Bureau or from one of the following organisations: England and Wales: Equality and Human Rights Commission ; Scotland : Equality and Human Rights Commission  Domestic violation – brutality and violance in the home is a serious crime. Any man who forces a woman to have sex, including a woman`s husband, can be charged with rape.  Female genital mutilation – female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as cutting or female circumcision, is illegal in the UK. Practising FGM or taking a girl or woman abroad for FGM is a criminal offence  Forced marriage – arranged marriages, where both parties agree to the marriage, are acceptable in the UK. Forced Marriage Protection Orders were introduced in 2008 for England, Wales and Northern Ireland under the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007. Similar Protection Orders were introduced in Scotland in november 2011. Anyone found to have breached an order can be jailed for up to 2 years for contempt of court Taxation

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Income tax – it includes – wages from paid employment – profits from self-employment – taxable benefits – pensions – income from property , savings and dividends. Money raised from income tax pays for government services such as roads, education, police and armed forces. For most people, the right amont of income tax is automatically taken from their income from employment by their employer and paid directily to HMRC. This system is called “ Pay as you earn” (PAYE)  National insurance – everyone must pay National insurance contributions. Money raised is used to pay for state benefits and

services such as the state retirement pension and National Health Service (NHS). People who are self-employed need to pay it themselves. Anyone who does not pay enough NIC will not be able to receive certain contributory benefits such as Jobseeker`s Allowance or a full state retirement pension. th  Getting a national insurance number - all young people in the UK are sent a NIN just before their 16 birthday. A non-UK national living in the UK and looking for work , starting work or setting up as self-employed will need a NIN. However you can start work without one. You need to telephone the department for Work and Pensions and arrange an interview. Driving - in the Uk, you must be at least 17 to drive a car or motor cycle you must have a driving licence to drive on public roads. You need to be at least 16 to ride a moped. Drivers can use their driving licence until they are 70 years old. After that the licence is valid for 3 years at a time.  In Northern Ireland, a newly qualified driver must display an R plate (for restricted driver) for one year after passing the test  If you from EU ( Iceland , Liechtenstein or Norway), you can drive in the UK for as long as your licence is valid. If you are from EU apart from those 3 mentioned you may use it in the UK for up to 12 months. To continue driving after that, you must get a UK full driving licence  If you are resident in the UK, your car or motor cycle must be registered at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).  You must pay an annual vehicle tax and display the tax disc, which shows that the tax has been paid, on the widescreen. You must also have valid motor insurance.  If your vehicle is over 3 years old. You must take it for a Ministry of Transport (MOT) test every year. Your role in the community  Values and responsibilities – to obey and respect the law – to be aware of the rights of others and respect those rights – to treat others with fairness – to behave responsibly – to help and protect your family – to respect and preserve the environment – to treat everyone equally, regardless of sex, race, religion, age – to work to provide for yourself and your family – to help others – to vote in local and national government elections  Being a good neighbour – try to keep your garden tidy , and only put your refuse bags and bins on the street or in communal areas if they are due to be collected.  Getting involved in local activities – volunteering and helping your community are an important part of being a good citizen. They enable you to integrate and get to know other people. It helps to make your community a better place if residents support each other How you can support your community - there are a number of positive ways in which you can support your community and be a good citizen  Jury service – people on the electoral register are randomly selected to serve on a jury. Anyone who is on the electoral register and is aged 18 to 70 can be asked to do this.  Helping in schools – many schools organise events to raise money for extra equipment or out-of-school activities. Activities might include book sales. Sometimes events are organised by parent-teacher associations (PTAs).  School governors and school boards – in Scotland, these are people from the local community who wish to make a positive contribution to children`s education. They must be aged 18 or over at the date of their election or appointment. There is no upper age limit. They have 3 key roles: 1. setting the strategic direction of the school 2. ensuring accountability 3. monitoring and evaluating school perfomance.  Supporting political parties – you can help by handing out leaflets in the street or by knocking on people`s doors and asking for their support. This is called “canvassing”  British citizens can stand for office as a local councillor, a member of Parliament or a member of the European Parliament. This is an opportunity to become even more involved in the political life of the UK  Helping with local services – universities , housing associations, museums and arts councils may advertise for people to serve as volunteers in their governing bodies. You can volunteer with the police, and become a special constable or a lay (non-police) representative.  Blood and organ donation – donated blood is used by hospitals to help people with a wide range of injuries and illnesses. You can also register to be an organ donor, it can make it easier for your family to decide whether to donate your organs when you die.  Other ways to volunteer  working with animals – for example , caring for animals at a local rescue shelter  youth work – for example, volunteering at a youth group  helping improve the environment – for example, participating in a litter pick – up in the local area  working with the homeless in , for example, a homelessness shelter  working in health and hospitals – for example working on an information desk in a hospital  helping older people at , for example , a residential care home Charities working with older people (such as Age UK), with children (for example, the National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children) , and with the homeless (Crisis and Shelter). There are also medical research charities (Cancer Research UK), environmental charities (National trust and friends of the Earth) National Citizen service programme gives 16 and 17 year olds the opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities, develop theirs skills and take part in a community project. Looking after the environment  It is important to recycle as much of your waste as you can. Using recycled materials to make new products uses less energy and also the amount being put to landfill is reduced

 A good way to support your local community is to shop for products locally where you can. It will also reduce the carbon footprint, because the products you buy will not have had to travel as far.  Walking and using public transport to get around when you can is also a good way to protect the environment. It means that you create less pollution than when you use a car.